Magued, Shaimaa
A icle
Va ia ions in s a egic change cycle: Thailand's o ice
boa d o in es men , i-coun y ounda ion and UN
Women Egyp as case s udies
Re iew o Economics and Poli ical Science (REPS)
P o ided in Coope a ion wi h:
Cai o Uni e si y, Cai o
Sugges ed Ci a ion: Magued, Shaimaa (2025) : Va ia ions in s a egic change cycle: Thailand's
o ice boa d o in es men , i-coun y ounda ion and UN Women Egyp as case s udies, Re iew
o Economics and Poli ical Science (REPS), ISSN 2631-3561, Eme ald, Bingley, Vol. 10, Iss. 2, pp.
134-150,
h ps://doi.o g/10.1108/REPS-09-2022-0066
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Va ia ions in s a egic change
cycle: Thailand’s o ice boa d
o in es men , i-coun y
ounda ion and UN Women
Egyp as case s udies
Shaimaa Magued
Depa men o Public Adminis a ion, Cai o Uni e si y, Cai o, Egyp
Abs ac
Pu pose –Combining wo o ganiza ional change heo ies, li e cycle and o ganiza ional de elopmen , his
s udy examines how s a egic change cycle has been adop ed and implemen ed ac oss h ee di e en
o ganiza ions, a public o ganiza ion, an NGO and an in e go e nmen al o ganiza ion owa d achie ing
hei goals.
Design/me hodology/app oach –This s udy iangula es h ee di e en quali a i e esea ch me hods:
open-ended semi-s uc u ed in e iews conduc ed wi h UN Women Egyp ’s di ec o , ex analysis o he h ee
o ganiza ions’websi es and he discou se analysis o he T i-Coun y Founda ion’s leade s.
Findings –S a egic change cycle has been di e en ly o mula ed, adop ed and implemen ed by he h ee
o ganiza ions based on hei goals, esou ces and con ex s. While O ice Boa d o In es men adop ed a
comp ehensi e eac i e change, T i-Coun y Founda ion ollowed a pa ial p oac i e ans o ma ion and UN
Women Egyp de eloped a pa ial eac i e s a egy. Hence o h, public o ganiza ions and nonp o i
o ganiza ions can de elop di e en s a egies o change in unc ion o needs, esou ces, goals and con ex .
O iginali y/ alue –This s udy ad ances a heo e ical amewo k on o ganiza ional change by in eg a ing
wo heo ies, li e cycle and o ganiza ional de elopmen , p esen ing ou pa e ns o change: comp ehensi e
eac i e, comp ehensi e p oac i e, pa ial eac i e and pa ial p oac i e.
Keywo ds S a egic change cycle, Li e cycle heo y, O ganiza ional de elopmen , O ganiza ional change
Pape ype Case s udy
In oduc ion
S a egic managemen as a manage ial inno a ion has been ansposed o he ield o
Public Adminis a ion in an a emp o e i e public and nonp o i ins i u ions and ensu e
hei sus ainable p oduc i i y. The p i a e sec o has la gely bene i ed om he lexibili y
and malleabili y o s a egic managemen as a planned p ocess o change wi hou a s ic ly
de ined s uc u e o p ocesses, which inspi ed schola s in Public Adminis a ion o adop i
o he public sec o . Abundan schola ly w i ings on s a egic managemen ha e
ecognized i s alue as an inspi ing guideline o o ganiza ional change whe e ins i u ions
a e no compelled o s ic ly ollow a sequence o ac ions. Ye , schola s did no explain o
examine he easons and o ms o a ia ions in he adop ion o s a egic managemen . In
his pe spec i e, his s udy aims o cla i y how and why a ia ions occu wi hin
o ganiza ions adop ing s a egic managemen . In his ein, how hey di e en ly adop and
REPS
10,2
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© Shaimaa Magued. Published in Re iew o Economics and Poli ical Science. Published by Eme ald
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Recei ed 13 Sep embe 2022
Re ised 14 Oc obe 2022
Accep ed 15 No embe 2022
Re iew o Economics and Poli ical
Science
Vol. 10 No. 2, 2025
pp. 134-150
Eme ald Publishing Limi ed
e-ISSN: 2631-3561
p-ISSN: 2356-9980
DOI 10.1108/REPS-09-2022-0066
implemen s a egic managemen and why hese a ia ions would mani es du ing he
p ocess o o ganiza ional change.
In answe ing hese ques ions, his s udy examines a wide a ay o o ganiza ional change
heo ies, which de o ed ample w i ings on easons and p ocesses o change om di e en
scien i ic pe spec i es. While schola s ha e concei ed o ganiza ions as o ganic en i ies
mimicking indi iduals in hei p ocess o change, o he s in oduced change as a mechanical
p ocess o ans o ma ion, which was ei he eac i ely o p oac i ely induced o ensu e
su i al and imp o e o ganiza ional pe o mance. Taking in o conside a ion he di e si y and
complexi y o heo e ical amewo ks add essing o ganiza ional change since he 1960s, his
s udy elies on he combina ion o wo heo ies, he o ganiza ional de elopmen p ocess and
li e-cycle heo y, in o de o explain a ia ions in he adop ion and implemen a ion o s a egic
change cycle ac oss o ganiza ions in he public sec o . The in eg a ion o o ganiza ional
heo ies enabled he s udy o shed ligh on addi ional ac o s and dynamics o change, which
we e le unadd essed by he exis ing li e a u e. I also s eng hens and sha pens he
heo e ical lenses used in examining cases o change since i inc eases he ple ho a o
explana o y amewo ks on o ganiza ional change and how hey a e adop ed and
implemen ed. Besides, i allows he adop ion o di e en unusual me hodological ools, such
as he quali a i e esea ch me hods, in depic ing and eco ding changes ac oss o ganiza ions in
a discipline ha has been mainly domina ed by quan i a i e esea ch ools (Donaldson, 1996).
By combining o ganiza ional de elopmen and li e-cycle heo ies, he au ho selec ed
h ee cases o analysis in o de o examine how and why a ia ions in he implemen a ion and
adop ion o s a egic change occu . Encompassing a na ional Ame ican NGO, an
in e go e nmen al o ganiza ion and a public o ganiza ion in a de eloping coun y, his
s udy dwells on he di e en p o iles o h ee public and nonp o i o ganiza ions, examining
how hey inco po a ed ei he a pa ial o comp ehensi e, eac i e o p oac i e s a egic
change based on di e se en i onmen al ins iga o s owa d achie ing di e en goals. Based
on he examina ion o he h ee cases, his s udy a gues ha a ia ions in s a egic
managemen ac oss o ganiza ions a e due o di e ences in he ype o change ins iga o , he
scope o change and he depa men s in ol ed in o he p ocess. While UN Women Egyp
adop ed a pa ial s a egic planning o imp o ing i s ools o ac ion owa d inc easing
awa eness o women igh s in he Middle Eas , Thailand’s O ice Boa d o In es men (OBOI)
adop ed a comp ehensi e s a egic managemen in esponse o eminen changes in i s
ex e nal en i onmen ha ins iga ed a econside a ion o he o ganiza ion’s s a egies and
employees’compe encies. As o T i-Coun y Founda ion, a US-based NGO, i adop ed a
pa ial change add essing human esou ces in o de o imp o e i s pe sonnel pe o mance
wi hin he limi s o i s budge .
The h ee cases expe ienced di e en challenges bo h wi hin and ou side hei
o ganiza ional s uc u e, which equi ed he adop ion o a s a egic managemen . Doing
so, hey de eloped hei own s a egic change cycle and ollowed di e en s eps ha we e no
necessa ily adop ed in a ch onological and sys ema ic o de bu consis ed o combined
p ocedu es ha helped in achie ing goals and implemen ing isions. The h ee cases ocused
on di e en s a egic change cycle s eps hey designed and ca ied ou in o de o induce a
s a egic change and achie e hei goals wi hin a changing en i onmen . By adop ing
o ganiza ional change, each ins i u ion has ailo ed i s own plan, s eps and s a egies.
In conduc ing his s udy’s esea ch, he au ho iangula ed h ee quali a i e esea ch
me hods by ca ying ou open-ended and semi-s uc u ed in e iews wi h he o me
ep esen a i e o UN Women Egyp , conduc ing a me iculous con en analysis o he websi e
o bo h he OBOI and T i-Coun y Founda ion and a discou se analysis o T i-Coun y
Founda ion’s leade s. The pape is s uc u ed as ollows: he i s pa elabo a es on he
li e a u e add essing s a egic change cycle while he second one ocuses on examining
o ganiza ional change heo ies and iden i ying he s udy’s heo e ical combina ion. The hi d
Va ia ions in
s a egic
change cycle
135
pa explo es h ee cases o o ganiza ional change by highligh ing how and why a ia ions
occu ed in hei implemen a ion and adop ion o s a egic change cycle.
S a egic change cycle
The li e a u e add essing s a egic change cycle has unde lined a p ocess o o ganiza ional
change whe e employees and manage s de ine a plan o eaching a speci ic goal and means
o achie e i in unc ion o esou ces and en i onmen al challenges. While schola ly w i ings
ha e widely emphasized he absence o uni e sal guidelines o o ganiza ions o ollow and
ha each en i y has i s own needs acco ding o which i will ailo he dynamics o he change
p ocess in line wi h i s con ex ual exigencies, hey did no explain how a ia ions occu
wi hin o ganiza ions conduc ing s a egic managemen .
B yson (2010) de ined s a egic planning as he p ocess o econside ing decision-making
dynamics by de ining he o ganiza ion’s posi ion, mission and goals in o de o de elop
e ec i e manage ial asks and imp o e i s pe o mance. I aims o sus ain adminis a i e
uni s’e iciency and p oduc i i y wi hin a changing and challenging en i onmen in ligh o
obs acles and oppo uni ies, which ha e o be ca e ully seized, analyzed and ea ed in o de
o su i e and excel. In spi e o a ia ions in condi ions and p io i ies, public o ganiza ions
econside mains eam s a egies and decision-making ools as a necessi y. Seminal wo ks on
s a egic change cycle ha e expanded on he di e en p ocesses o s a egic managemen
(Johnson and Scholes, 1999). They en isioned i as a eleological p ocess, which is concei ed
o he achie emen o a pa icula goal. In his ein, he p ocess o change does no equi e a
speci ic sequence o s eps o s ages o ollow as a p econdi ion o each he speci ied goal
(Dawson, 1994;Dawson and Andi opoulos, 2009). Also, hey concei ed i as an e olu iona y
p ocess ha s a s wi h a me iculous scanning o he in e nal and ex e nal en i onmen
owa d he iden i ica ion o he o ganiza ion’s posi ion in he ma ke and he de e mina ion o
needs, plans and s a egies (Pea ce and Robinson, 1991). Dwelling on employees’awa eness,
sense o secu i y, and abili ies, s a egic change cycle de elops a oad map o he
o ganiza ion o ollow by an icipa ing i s u u e s a us and p ojec ed missions owa d
achie ing goals (Kan e , 1992). Based on a pa icipa o y p ocess, i encompasses majo s eps
o s a egic change, which a e en i onmen analysis, he de ini ion o s a egic s eps based on
a mission and a ision, implemen a ion and e alua ion. Ye , schola s did no ecommend a
igid sequence o o m in he adop ion o hese s eps and unde lined s a egic managemen as
a lexible p ocess in de e mining wha o change, how and when wi hin he o ganiza ion,
which implies a ia ions in he adop ion o s a egic managemen .
S a egic change cycle examines public o nonp o i o ganiza ions’s a egic objec i es
side by side o human esou ces ac i i ies in o de o enhance o e all pe o mance and
inc ease p o isions’social alues (Nkomo, Human Resou ce Planning and O ganiza ion
Pe o mance: An Explana o y Analysis, 1987). I enables public o ganiza ions o iden i y
o ganiza ional pe o mance and e ec i eness in e ms o cos and skills. I lexibly i s in o
o ganiza ions’co po a e and business s a egies as an ineluc able p ocedu e in o de o
iden i y a clea p ospec i e ision and he necessa y ools o i s achie emen . Doing so, i
ocuses on wo impo an goals, de e mining wha kind o employees a e needed o un he
o ganiza ion and iden i ying policies and p og ams o imp o ing employees’skills and
pe o mance. Conce ned wi h he pe sonnel’s well-being o boos ing o ganiza ional
pe o mance and achie ing s a egic objec i es, a planned s a egic change enables public
o ganiza ions o de e mine ec ui men ’s cos s and he means o e ec i ely pe o ming
missions and ca ying ou ope a ional and s uc u al changes. In ecogni ion o i s
impo ance, public o ganiza ions ca e abou in eg a ing employees’planning in o hei
o ganiza ional s uc u al in esponse o public demands o a be e quali y in se ice
deli e y (Swo d and Cu singe , 1984).
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O ganiza ional change heo ies
Acco ding o he shee quan i y o schola ly w i ings add essing o ganiza ional change,
o ganiza ions go h ough he g adual o eminen p ocess o change unde he p essu e o
en i onmen al challenges o a manage ial in e en ion o de elop and enhance i s
pe o mance. In ligh o (Lewin, 1947)’s seminal wo k on o ganiza ional change, change
occu s wi hin o ganiza ions a he e en o an al e a ion o he exis ing balance be ween
d i ing and es aining o ces. This p ocess has been amply discussed among schola s who
iden i ied di e en cu en s in o ganiza ional change, such as en i onmen al de e minism
and olun a ism, which ackled o ganiza ional change om di e en pe spec i es (Hi sch
and Lounsbu y, 1997). The ongoing deba e be ween suppo e s o bo h heo e ical ends has
unde lined and ecognized he p esence o a ia ions among o ganiza ions in hei pu sui o
change depending on hei goals, s uc u e, managemen s yle and he adop ed s a egies
owa d achie ing he aspi ed goals (Child and Kiese , 1981).
In his pe spec i e, bo h he p oponen s o olun a ism as exp essed by he a ional and
o ganic adap a ion and li e-cycle heo ies and en i onmen al de e minism, encompassing he
neo-ins i u ionalis s and popula ion ecology ha e la gely capi alized on he mo i es behind
change while highligh ing a ia ions among o ganiza ions in hei p ocess o change
(Deme s, 2007;Came on and Whe en, 1983). Schola s a ilia ed o olun a ism ha e asse ed
ha o ganiza ions op o a g adual change in he aim o s uc u ally adap ing o s a egic
en i onmen al challenges. Al hough hey ag eed on change as a g adual p ocess o s uc u al
esponse o en i onmen al ea u es, hey unde lined di e en mechanisms o adap a ion.
While he o ganic and a ional change schools unde sco ed he pa simonious na u e o
change in e ms o g appling he sui able s uc u al ac o s in adap a ion wi h he maximum
en i onmen al ea u es as possible in o de o succeed and su i e, he li e-cycle indica ed
ha change is p oac i ely ini ia ed in o de o in luence he en i onmen ins ead o eac ing
o i s ea u es (Hannan and F eeman, 1984;Kimbe ly, 1980;Van de Ven and Poole, 1995). Due
o he con ingen p essu e on manage s, hese heo ies did no p esc ibe a pa icula pa hway
o change o ollow bu allowed manage s a la ge maneu e in de ining hei own s a egy o
change since hey a e s a egically o ien ed in unning hei o ganiza ion and de ising he
necessa y plans o imp o e i .
Schola s a ilia ed o en i onmen al de e minism highligh ed ha o ganiza ions’ ecou se
o change is ei he a e o a p ede e mined p ocess ha o ganiza ions adop in o de o
con o m o ins i u ional no ms and alues (Baum and Oli e , 1996). While he heo y o
popula ion ecology s a ed ha change is a e since en i onmen has he powe o selec which
o ganiza ions will be able o su i e h ea s, neo-ins i u ionalis s ecognized o ganiza ional
change as a p ocess o con o ming o ins i u ional no ms, s anda ds and alues wi hou
exhibi ing di e ences (Baum and Singh, 1996). In his ein, he heo ies unde pinning his
end in o ganiza ional change asse ed ha o ganiza ions a e simila in hei eac ion o
ex e nal challenges and in e nal esponses and manage s a e le wi h a limi ed maneu e . By
assuming simila i y among o ganiza ions, schola s unde sco ed he p esence o
p ede e mined and de ined p ocesses ha manage s would go h ough in o de o induce
change.
Ano he ypology has dis inguished be ween change wi hin and ac oss o ganiza ions. In
his ein, schola s s a ed ha manage s usually ollow he s age model and he
o ganiza ional de elopmen heo y in o de o ini ia e a change om wi hin, while he
in e o ganiza ional ela ion heo y and he communi y coali ion ac ion heo y e e o
changes in ela ions among o ganiza ions (Beckha d and P i cha d, 1992). Being he mos
equen model in o ganiza ions, schola s e e ed o he s age model as a s eps p ocess ha is
implemen ed h oughou he di e en depa men s o he o ganiza ion based on a me iculous
analysis o he en i onmen (A menakis and Bedeian, 1999;Woodman, 1989). The adop ion
o his model equi es he eezing/abandon o old and adi ional p ac ices and he mo e
Va ia ions in
s a egic
change cycle
137
owa d newe app oaches and a i udes, which should be ozen wi hin he o ganiza ion
h ough he in e naliza ion o he new p inciples and alues by indi iduals.
Simila ly, o ganiza ional de elopmen consis s o he applica ion o scien i ic knowledge
o planned changes wi hin he o ganiza ion, i s componen s, human p ocesses and
in e o ganiza ional ela ions in he aim o inc easing i s e iciency and e ec i eness (Bee
and Wal on, 1987). This app oach adop s a holis ic de ini ion o change by emb acing
en i onmen al ac o s, ex e nal pa ne s and in e nal esou ces in o he p ocess o change. I
encompasses bo h ans o ma ional and ansac ional changes whe e he o me ocuses on
employees’beha io s and a i udes, while he la e emphasizes o ganiza ional and
psychological ac o s ha con ol he ou pu o he wo king g oup (Ca nal, 1990).
Acco ding o Klingne and Nalbandian (2003), o ganiza ional change consis s o ou
complemen a y and simul aneous p ocesses o gua an ee a be e pe sonnel pe o mance
and a success ul o ganiza ion in i s mission and ision, which a e planning, budge ing and
moni o ing employees’p oduc i i y, job analysis, classi ica ion and ewa ding sys em in
e ms o pay and bene i s. I in eg a es he human esou ce ac i i ies, policies and p og ams
in o he o ganiza ion’s mission and needs in o de o enable he o ganiza ion o e icien ly
achie e i s goals and c ea e a public alue. By scanning he o ganiza ion’s en i onmen and
iden i ying i s s eng h, weakness, h ea s and oppo uni ies, s a egic planning gua an ees
employees’loyal y and high pe o mance in implemen ing he di e en policies o deal wi h
challenges, educe weaknesses, bene i om s eng hs and g asp oppo uni ies (Wayne,
2009). In his ein, a planned change enables he o ganiza ion o econside i s policies and
ac i i ies in o de o de elop employees’compe encies and skills ha sui he o ganiza ion’s
s a egies and p ojec ed goals. The p ocess o o ganiza ional de elopmen has o be
cons an ly e ised in o de o de elop and in eg a e new alues and enhance o e all
o ganiza ional capaci y wi hou unde mining indi idual igh s and employees’social equi y.
New alues would be in eg a ed, such as lexible wo k ela ions, con ac ing-ou ,
pe o mance and egula e alua ion whe e ocus is shi ed on people as he main and
impo an conce n o o ganiza ional managemen (Schule , 1990). Unlike heo ies add essing
change wi hin o ganiza ions, in e o ganiza ional change heo ies a e c a ed o enhancing
and de eloping coo dina ion among di e en en i ies in he aim o inc easing hei
agg ega ed abili y o ace a speci ic issue/ h ea o achie e a common goal.
Since planned change inco po a es a wide a ay o ac o s including p ocesses, s a egies,
isions, missions, indi iduals, skills, goals and compe encies in eac ion o h ea s and/o
oppo uni ies in he ex e nal en i onmen , i equi es an ins iga o in o de o de elop
accu a e plans o such ans o ma ion. In his espec , schola s assumed ha an icipa ion is
one o he key ac o s de ining he ajec o y o change wi hin o ganiza ions and wo king as
he ec o o he designed s a egies and plans in in oducing a change wi hin o ganiza ion
(Robe son e al., 1993). An icipa ion is based on he ca e ul and sys ema ic scanning o he
o ganiza ional en i onmen on he ex e nal and in e nal le els, which in ol es he pe sis en
e alua ion o pe o mance, ma e ial esou ces, a ailable skills and compe encies wi h espec
o a cons an ly changing milieu.
In ligh o he dispa i y and abundance o heo ies add essing o ganiza ional change, his
s udy op ed o he in eg a ion o o ganiza ional de elopmen and li e-cycle heo ies as a
use ul app oach in combining heo ies p o iding al e na i es isions, explana ions and
policies/p ocesses o change wi hou o egoing hei a eas o di e gence. This app oach is an
inno a i e pe spec i e in dealing wi h concep ual di e si y since i p o ides a pa simonious
explana ion o o ganiza ional change, p omo es he de elopmen o new heo ies on change
and encou ages induc i e esea ch based on he iden i ica ion o aspec s o ans o ma ion,
ac o s o mu a ion and al e a ion wi hin en i ies and he condi ions unde which hey a e
likely o occu .
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By combining he li e cycle and o ganiza ional de elopmen heo ies, his pape de eloped
a heo e ical amewo k o o ganiza ional change based on he in eg a ion o bo h heo ies’
di e ences (p oac i i y s. eac i i y and comp ehensi eness s. pa iali y in change) in
o de o iden i y ou pa e ns o change, which we e induc i ely aced h oughou he h ee
case s udies as ollows (see Table 1).
Va ia ions in s a egic change cycle
In o de o explain how o ganiza ions do a y in he adop ion o s a egic change cycle, his
pa elies on wo o ganiza ional change heo ies and h ee quali a i e esea ch me hods.
Combining he li e-cycle and o ganiza ional de elopmen heo ies, his pa sheds ligh on
h ee cases o o ganiza ional change whe e he easons and means o ini ia ing change we e
di e en . The in eg a ion o bo h heo ies p esen s ou scena ios o change: eac i e/holis ic,
p oac i e/holis ic, eac i e/pa ial and p oac i e/pa ial change. While OBOI adop ed a
holis ic eac i e change in i s o ganiza ion in esponse o u gen ex e nal ins iga o s, T i-
Coun y Founda ion wen h ough a p oac i e pa ial change in i s pe sonnel, and UN Women
Egyp op ed o a pa ial eac i e change in i s s a egy o ac ion based on weaknesses and
challenges in i s in e nal and ex e nal en i onmen s. Based on he a ie y o da a, he au ho
combined di e en esea ch me hods: he ex /con en analysis o OBOI’s websi e, he
discou se analysis o T i-Coun y Founda ion’s leade ship and open-ended and semi-
s uc u ed in e iews wi h UN Women Egyp ’s di ec o .
Thailand’s O ice Boa d o In es men (OBOI)
Based on he me iculous ex analysis o in o ma ion and ounding documen s o he
Thailand’s OBOI a ailable on i s websi e (OBOI, 2022), OBOI adop ed a holis ic eac i e
change in o de o econside i s s uc u e, goals, pe o mance and inc ease i s p oduc i i y
as a public o ganiza ion. Being unable o su i e challenges ela ed o weaknesses in i s
s uc u e and ex e nal compe i i eness, OBOI’s boa d o di ec o s ini ia ed a adical change
in i s o ganiza ional s uc u e and jobs’design. I has o mula ed a de ailed and leng hy
s a egic change cycle in o de o enhance i s pe o mance in esponse o de ying
ci cums ances, which ac ed as he a icula o o he p ocess o change in iden i ying he
necessa y s eps and hei sequence as ollows:
Assessmen o in e nal and ex e nal en i onmen . In he 1990s, OBOI’s boa d o di ec o s
ecognized he o ganiza ion’s lack o capaci ies and esou ces o ca y ou de elopmen and
in es men p ojec s, which was mani es ed in he decline o i s assigned p ojec s by 40% due
o in e nal and ex e nal challenges (OBOI, 2022). Ex e nal challenges s emmed om
Thailand’s conclusion o he GATT ea y, which unde mined OBOI’s a ac i eness and
unde lined he ou da ed na u e o i s in es men and incen i es policies. Also, he Gul c isis’
Elemen s o di e ence be ween li e cycle and
o ganiza ional de elopmen heo ies
Reac i e
Change
(O ganiza ional
de elopmen )
P oac i e
Change
(Li e cycle)
Comp ehensi e/Holis ic Change
(O ganiza ional De elopmen )
Comp ehensi e and
Reac i e
Change
OBOI
Comp ehensi e
P oac i e
Change
Pa ial Change
(Li e Cycle)
Pa ial Reac i e
Change
UN Women
Pa ial P oac i e
Change
T i-Coun y
Table 1.
Ma ix o change
Va ia ions in
s a egic
change cycle
139
epe cussions on he global capi al ma ke and he eme gence o al e na i e poles o
a ac ion o o eign in es o s in Eas e n Eu ope and Asia ha e jeopa dized Thailand’s pa
o he FDI loods. Thailand’s mili a y coup d’
e a and he coun y’s loss o i s a ac i eness
due o he elimina ion o he special a i s ea men on some p oduc s ha e unde mined
Thailand’s abili y o economic de elopmen , emphasized he weakness o i s economic
in as uc u e, including OBOI, and unde sco ed i s inabili y o os e economic g ow h
based on in es men p omo ion.
On he o he hand, OBOI’s in e nal en i onmen has shown a low le el o pe o mance due
o i s lagging bu eauc a ic sys em and manage ial misconduc s, which impeded he adop ion
o in es men p ojec s, he inc ease o i s public sha e o economic g ow h, he equi able
dis ibu ion o bene i s and echnological ans e . OBOI’s igid adminis a i e s uc u e
impeded i s abili y o espond o he go e nmen ’s ax e o m and adap a ion o ax s uc u e
and egula ions o mee in es o s’needs, which sc u inized OBOI’s mission o in es men
p omo ion.
Ini ia ion o s a egic planning. OBOI’s new leade ship ini ia ed a s a egic change p ocess.
I cons i u ed o cla i ying he o ganiza ion’s mission and ision, de ining i s s akeholde s
and iden i ying OBOI’s manda es and s a egies is-
a- is h ea s. Ha ing he s a ’s consen ,
he new leade ship de ined OBOI’s s akeholde s who would be ei he na ional o o eign
in es o s, indi iduals o i ms and a e in e es ed in ca ying ou in es men and de elopmen
p ojec s in Thailand and/o ab oad. OBOI’s mission was o p omo e in es men in Thailand
by adop ing an ambi ious ision o being a leading in es men consul a ion i m in Thailand.
Fo his aim, i iden i ied a se o s a egies e ol ing a ound OBOI’s echnical and
in o ma ional assis ance o s akeholde s abou in es men oppo uni ies and use ul business
ne wo ks in Thailand and/o ab oad (OBOI, 2022). Also, hese s a egies a ge ed OBOI’s
o ganiza ional s uc u e and employees’capabili ies and manda es.
De ini ion o missions and alues. OBOI’s mission consis ed o p omo ing in es men in
Thailand h ough he adop ion o a p oac i e se ice-o ien ed ision a he han being ax-
incen i ized o a p i ilege p o ide (OBOI, 2022). I s leading alue was o p o ide
consul a ion se ices o in es o s in o de o help hem in ca ying ou p ojec s and p omo e
in es men p ojec s in Thailand.
Iden i ica ion o s a egic issues. S a egic issues encompassed OBOI’s igid bu eauc a ic
sys em, mismanagemen , ine ec i e coo dina ion be ween depa men s, wo k o ce’s limi ed
skills, cen alized decision-making p ocess and he mul iplica ion o adminis a i e
p ocedu es, which impeded he de elopmen o o ganiza ional pe o mance and e iciency.
Fo mula ion o s a egies. In e lec ion o i s ision, OBOI de eloped new asks and
unc ions, which consis ed o policies and s a egies add essing in es o s o help hem in
adop ing and implemen ing p ojec s. OBOI would p o ide in o ma ion and acili ies abou
business o mali ies, p ocedu es and oppo uni ies in Thailand o ab oad o na ional and
o eign in es o s. I would assis in es o s in c ea ing a new business in Thailand h ough
he acili a ion o adminis a i e equi emen s and p ocedu es p io o business ins alla ion
(OBOI, 2022). I would gi e an o ien a ion se ice o in es o s and ad ise hem abou posi i e
and nega i e aspec s ac oss a ious Thai egions and p o inces. I would coo dina e be ween
s akeholde s, de elop hei ne wo ks, asse s, p oduc ion and pe o mance s anda ds in o de
o success ully ca y ou hei p ojec s.
De ini ion o manda es. In ligh o s a egic issues ha h ea ened OBOI, di e en
manda es we e assigned o add ess challenges and ca y ou s a egies. These manda es
ocused on he ehabili a ion o adminis a i e p ocedu es and decision-making mechanisms
and he de elopmen o an e ec i e HR managemen inside he o ganiza ion (OBOI, 2022). In
addi ion o he adop ion o he New In o ma ion Technology, he o ganiza ion decen alized
he decision-making p ocess, implemen ed a ho izon al coo dina ion s uc u e o he
di e en asks, delega ed adminis a i e au ho i ies o egions and p o inces and con ac ed
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ou unc ions o p i a e con ac o s. On he o he hand, i imp o ed employees’abili ies and
skills in o de o inc ease hei pe o mance, abili y o cope wi h OBOI’s new s a egy and
mission, and p o ide a new wo k o ce mindse and cul u e. OBOI adop ed a aining p og am
and echniques o imp o e s a pe o mance, such as he inqui y app oach, wo k
imp o emen eam, and he imp o emen o pe sonnel unc ions, such as e alua ion,
sanc ion, acquisi ion and asks planning.
C ys allizing an o ganiza ional ision. OBOI’s ision as a op leading in es men consul a ion
i m and a cus ome -o ien ed ins i u ion ha p o ided se ices o in es o s ins ead o being
unc ion-o ien ed, implied he shi owa d se ice p o ision ins ead o being ax-o ien ed.
Planning and s a egies’assessmen . OBOI de eloped, o mula ed and communica ed i s
s a egic managemen plan o i s s a h ough a eam wo k commi ee ha was esponsible o
e ining he ision and mission s a emen s, s a egies, manda es and s akeholde s’analysis so
ha he plan would be mo e e icien in empowe ing OBOI’s e iciency and unde lining i s
cen ali y in he public sec o . This s ep con i med and app o ed he p io ag eemen ob ained
o ini ia ing he necessa y p ocedu es and s eps o he s a egic change cycle.
S a egic plan adop ion and implemen a ion. OBOI has success ully adop ed and
implemen ed a s a egic change p ocess. OBOI Sec e a y Gene al was p aised and
awa ded p izes by he Asian Ins i u e o Managemen , he Public Adminis a ion
Associa ion o Thailand and he Ci il Se ice Commission (OBOI, 2022).
OBOI adop ed a holis ic eac i e s a egic change, which consis ed o e isi ing i s
s a egies, mission, ision, ole and pe sonnel unc ions in o de o imp o e i s pe o mance in
ligh o a challenging en i onmen and decaying in e nal condi ions. As a esul , OBOI had o
go h ough a leng hy and de ailed p ocess s a ing wi h an en i onmen analysis ollowed by
he iden i ica ion o s akeholde s’needs, expec a ions, manda es, s a egies and ision-
mission s a emen s. OBOI’s boa d o di ec o s has speci ically d a ed hese s eps in unc ion
o he o ganiza ion’s needs, poin s o weakness, ex e nal challenges and goals, which equi ed
he ini ia ion o a op-down pa icipa i e s a egic change ac oss he whole o ganiza ion.
T i-Coun y Educa ion Founda ion
T i-Coun y Educa ional Founda ion is a US-based nonp o i o ganiza ion ha op ed o a
p oac i e pa ial change in o de o expand i s ac i i ies h ough he o mula ion o a cos -
sa ing ec ui men s a egy. The analysis o T i-Coun y’s s a egic change was based on a
igo ous discou se analysis o membe s’decla a ions and s a emen s abou he ini ia ed
change (T i-Coun y, 2022). T i-Coun y’s ounde s we e en husias ic abou expanding he
o ganiza ion’s ac i i y in o de o ha e a u he ou each o i s educa ional mission. Ye ,
hey we e hesi an in achie ing his goal in ligh o yea - ound p og ams ha exhaus ed hei
budge . The e o e, hey designed a s a egic change o a low-cos ec ui men p ocess, which
was designed based on he expec ed e enues, cos s and con ibu ions. In o de o ini ia e
such a pa ial p oac i e change, T i-Coun y had o iden i y i s key weaknesses and s eng hs
in managing p ospec i e p ojec s and p og ams in e ms o expenses and ime.
T i-Coun y’s leade s o mula ed hei conce ns a ound hese ques ions: How would
T i-Coun y acqui e he manage ial expe ise o ca y ou a success ul and e icien expansion
o ac i i ies? How would i de elop a budge planning ha e icien ly manages unding
sho age wi hou being a ime-consuming design? How would T i-Coun y’s wo majo
p og ams be be e de eloped and designed in ligh o i s mission in o de o a ac mo e
unds and allow employees o ealloca e hei ime in a mo e p oduc i e way? As a esul , hey
ini ia ed a s a egic change cycle, which mainly add essed u gen s a egic issues ha
h ea ened i s expansion goal as ollows:
Iden i ica ion o s a egic issues. T i-Coun y’s leade s amed hei majo conce n a ound he
lack o manage ial skills and expe ise among i s s a membe s. Being a nonp o i o ganiza ion,
Va ia ions in
s a egic
change cycle
141
Acco ding o Mo si, be o e adop ing he s a egic plan, UN Women held mul i-le el
consul a ion mee ings wi h s akeholde s om he A ab wo ld o highligh UN Women’s
p io i ies, challenges, expec a ions and needs, e ise and implemen s a egies acco dingly.
In ligh o s akeholde s’emphasis on challenges acing women’s empowe men in he A ab
wo ld, he UN Women held a deba e wi h UN o icials abou how o p oceed owa d esol ing
hese issues in he A ab wo ld and empowe ing women wi hin he amewo k o human
de elopmen . This deba e ecommended he c ea ion o UN Women o ice in each A ab
coun y o exe p essu e on na ional go e nmen s o abide by he CEDAW and adjus laws
and dec ees acco dingly. In addi ion, o icials indica ed ha UN Women should gi e p io i y
o women’s medioc e condi ions while shedding ligh on in e en ion p ojec s ha sui
di e en A ab coun ies. These consul a ions helped in he iden i ica ion o p io i ies on he
egional and coun y le els ega ding gende equali y, esou ces and e o s in o de o
e icien ly unde ake a s a egic planning and subsequen plans. In his pe spec i e, UN
Women add essed each o i s s akeholde s’needs and expec a ions by emphasizing
consul a ion, coo dina ion and ne wo king as he main ools o success ully implemen ing
s a egies. Besides, i endo sed i s pa ne ship and policy coo dina ion wi h UN agencies
owa d a be e implemen a ion, de ined he 100-day ac ion plan p io i ies and s a egic
issues and ocused on p io i ies in add essing easons behind gende inequali y. UN Women
shed ligh on accoun abili y as a egula o y mechanism o ensu e anspa ency, e ec i e
planning, and implemen a ion o s a egies and ac ion plans in each coun y. I suppo ed i s
s akeholde s’emphasis on he impo ance o sus aining UN Women’s unc ions, manda es
and s uc u es owa d he achie emen o gende equali y and empowe ing na ional ac o s as
a s a egic ac ion plan in o de o elimina e all o ms o disc imina ion.
Conclusion
While s a egic managemen p esen s an inno a i e dynamic o public and nonp o i
o ganiza ions seeking o sus ain p oduc i i y and maximize bene i s, i did no p o ide a
pa icula pa hway o ollow owa d change. In add essing s a egic managemen ’s uni e sal
alue o change h ough a unique p ocess and ailo ed s eps in unc ion o each en i y’s needs,
goals, en i onmen and esou ces, o ganiza ional change heo ies p esen ed a glimpse o
hope. In spi e o he complexi y o heo ies examining he p ocess o change om a ious
pe spec i es, his s udy op ed o combining wo heo ies in explaining a ia ions in s a egic
change ac oss o ganiza ions. Taking in o conside a ion he li e-cycle and o ganiza ional
de elopmen heo ies, he s udy iden i ied ou pa e ns o a ia ions ha occu wi hin
o ganiza ions in unc ion o hei needs and goals. In his pe spec i e, he examined cases
p esen ed an example o he ple ho a o changes anging om he holis ic eac i e o he
pa ial p oac i e change. While OBOI ollowed a eac i e holis ic pa e n o change, T i-
Coun y Founda ion adop ed a p oac i e pa ial change and UN Women Egyp de eloped a
pa ial eac i e pa hway o ans o ma ion.
Th ough he iangula ion o h ee quali a i e esea ch me hods, open-ended and semi-
s uc u ed in e iew, ex /con en analysis and discou se analysis, his s udy adop ed an
in eg a i e app oach by allying wo di e en heo ies o o ganiza ional change while
ecognizing hei simila i ies and dwelling on hei di e ences in iden i ying pa e ns o change
ha explain a ia ions ac oss o ganiza ions in hei adop ion o s a egic managemen . This
inding con ibu es o he li e a u e add essing o ganiza ional change by sugges ing
ecommenda ions o s a egic changes. S a egic change cycle does no en ail a pa icula
pa e n o a sequence o s eps o ollow owa d he in ended goal since o ganiza ions a y in
hei sel -pe cep ion, en i onmen , goals and esou ces. This means ha change has o be
ca e ully ailo ed in unc ion o a me iculous examina ion o he en i onmen , de ini ion o goals
and means. While each o ganiza ion aims o h i e, hey do no all adop ini ia e an iden ical
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pa hway o change. Some o ganiza ions op o change due o he an icipa ion o h ea s o
oppo uni ies whe eas o he s would go h ough a s a egic cycle o change in eac ion o an
eminen h ea . Change may also be pa ial o holis ic in e ms o in ol ing all employees and
depa men s h oughou a p ocess o ans o ma ion. Unlike o ganiza ions ha would go
h ough a pa ial and limi ed change by going h ough ew bu su icien al e a ions o he
ealiza ion o objec i es, o he s would unde go a comp ehensi e change h ough a leng hy
p ocess in ol ing a de ailed plan o change anging om econside ing he o ganiza ion’s
mission and ision o p og ams and ac ions o achie ing goals.
While change is an o ganiza ional necessi y and s uc u al impe a i e o su i al and
sus ainabili y, i has o be a cus omized p ocess in unc ion o each o ganiza ional condi ions,
en i onmen , esou ces, goals and needs. I is no a uni ied pa e n o ans o ma ion o a
p ede ined and s anda d pa hway owa d achie ing ends bu a unique enue ha is
g adually o mula ed h oughou he p ocess o change and o ien ed in unc ion o
o ganiza ional needs. Al hough he h ee cases wen h ough a p ocess o change, hey did
no ollow he same s eps as a p esc ibed ecommenda ion. On he con a y, each launched a
s a egic change cycle o achie ing a pa icula goal h ough he selec ion o speci ic s eps.
OBOI ini ia ed an ex ensi e analysis o in e nal and ex e nal en i onmen , an in-dep h
examina ion o s a egic issues, a e ision o he mission and he ision. Howe e , UN Women
and T i-Coun y Founda ion did no ollow he same ajec o y. While UN Women did an
en i onmen scanning, iden i ied s a egic issues and s a egies, i did no change i s mission,
ision o goals. Simila ly, T i-Coun y has only iden i ied he s a egic issues o expanding
ac i i ies and, acco dingly, designed p ojec ed s a egies o o e come hem.
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Abou he au ho
Shaimaa Magued is assis an p o esso a he Facul y o Economics and Poli ical Science, Cai o
Uni e si y Fo me , Ca negie Schola a Uni e si y o Minneso a and Fulb igh Schola in Residence a
O e o Junio College. He wo k ocuses on Fo eign Policy Analysis, T ansna ional Ad ocacy,
In e na ional Rela ions o he Middle Eas and Iden i y Poli ics. Shaimaa Magued can be con ac ed a :
[email p o ec ed]
Fo ins uc ions on how o o de ep in s o his a icle, please isi ou websi e:
www.eme aldg ouppublishing.com/licensing/ ep in s.h m
O con ac us o u he de ails: [email p o ec ed]
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